“Over the last few years,” Aury reveals, “I have seen a lot of big beverage companies considerably reduce their inhouse engineering teams, which means that they may lack the resources to optimize their productive assets to the extent that we can do it for them.”
Boasting extensive expertise in the development of production flow management software, as well as integrated data acquisition and production management systems such as the popular EIT (Efficiency Improvement Tool) manufacturing enterprise system—today installed on nearly 400 packaging lines in more than 20 countries—Sidel offers “more than 20 years of TCO (total-cost-of-ownership) optimization systems experience,” Aury contends, “but our expertise extends far beyond just improving line productivity.
“We take a more holistic approach to project management,” he expands, “to enable clients to run their entire business more efficiently.
“In the beverage industry,” he elaborates, “packaging components such as bottles, caps, labels, film etc., account for 70 to 80 per cent of the total costs of production, so we’re keen on assessing and testing all these package variables in terms of total system optimization.
“If, for example, we could reduce the weight of each plastic bottle on the filling line by two or three grams, that could amount to millions of dollars in combined savings at the end of the year.
“Our custom-made software can perform 3D (three-dimensional) simulations of the client’s manufacturing flow with all the different set parameters to determine their equipment’s operational efficiencies; how they affect equipment depreciation; how it fits into their current production plans; how it will help them reach their targets three from now, five years from now …”
Aury says he has high hopes for the company’s recently-developed complementary Eco-EIT software suite, which is designed specifically to track and monitor the beverage lines’ energy needs and consumption—including electricity, steam, etc.—which it plans to launch officially at the drinktec 2009 international beverage industry exhibition this September in Munich, Germany.
Most importantly, Aury relates, Sidel’s TCO services are not limited in their application strictly to Sidel equipment, nor is Sidel hung up on the size or market clout of its potential clients.
“While we have some fairly big greenfield projects on the go, even in this economy, we are also working with young startups to help them break into th
e market,” Aury points out. “Sidel is very proud to be an equipment supplier to companies like Molson, Miller, PepsiCo and other industry leaders, but we want to extend our engineering expertise to all the beverage producers out there to help them compete and grow.
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